(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a piano or grand piano with a resonance board and strings, which rest on a sound bridge with two longitudinal faces.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Pianos and grand pianos, in particular concert grand pianos, belong to pianoforte instruments. They are strings instruments and are generally known. They have a resonance board, on which a bridge, which is usually referred to as a sound bridge, is mounted. Lying on such a sound bridge are strings, which are guided by bridge pegs and can be induced to vibrate by the striking of hammer heads. The transmission of the energy produced by this vibration to the resonance board occurs by means of the sound bridge, which is usually adhesively bonded to the resonance board.
There are also sound bridges of entirely different form for stringed instruments, such as, for instance, violins, which are also included among the stringed instruments. However, the requirements for sound bridges in the case of violins and other instruments are different. Not only is the dimension smaller by an order of magnitude, but also the number of resonating strings is nearly always in the single digits, whereas, in the case of a piano, there are more than 100 individual strings. In the case of pianos and grand pianos, very large tensile forces prevail in comparison to violins and stringed instruments and substantial compressive forces are imposed on the sound bridge; these forces do not exist for stringed instruments. Sound bridges for stringed instruments are very delicate components, whereas very massive and heavy sound bridges, which are capable of withstanding the forces and loads, are used in pianos and grand pianos.
The lateral extension of a sound bridge is also substantial in the case of pianos and grand pianos. Under certain circumstances, they can be up to 2000 mm or possibly even greater in grand pianos. In stringed instruments, the maximal length lies at about 150 mm.
The lateral extension of the sound bridge is not purely rectilinear, but rather indeed runs in a slight curved shape on the resonance board of a grand piano, such as, for example, a concert grand piano.
Owing to the aforementioned requirements, sound bridges are regarded, above all, as support structures for the strings and are intentionally constructed in an appropriately robust and massive fashion for accommodating the forces.
As additional stabilization of the sound bridge on the resonance board, WO 99/57708 A1 proposes that the sound bridge is equipped with bridge tabs at its two ends or that it be lengthened overall and provided with beveled end portions. These bridge tabs or beveled end portions can then be fixed in place on the resonance board. It is further provided that the resonance board additionally be adhesively bonded in this region with underlying catches.
Known from WO 95/21442 A1 is a resonance board with a first sound bridge and a second bass bridge. The bass bridge is designed as a bridge and is composed of a plurality of separate parts. The design of the bridge is intended to shift the introduction of vibrations into the resonance board over a certain distance. Provided for further reinforcement are metallic supporting elements and other components. A glass layer and damping material are also provided for certain purposes. The actual sound bridge has a continuous right-angled cross section.
Further examples of pianos and grand pianos with a combination of resonance board and sound bridge are described, for example, in DE 326 629 C, DE 506 687 C, DE 676 912 C, DE 29 15 959 C2, as well as in DE 39 29 726 A1.
In spite of the very numerous attempts in the prior art to continue to improve insofar as possible the quality and also the tonal quality of pianos and grand pianos, there still is interest in creating further possibilities here.